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Nice 0-4 Dijon

August 25, 2018

Nice punished by Dijon

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Starting the game bravely and showing a real enterprising nature, the Aiglons were too inaccurate and were then caught by surprise by the Dijon opener, before being taken apart in the final ten minutes of the game.

In order to stop the opposition’s good run of form (2 matches, 2 wins) and to get themselves onto the right tracks after the reaction against Caen (1-1), Patrick Vieira understandably chose to continue with the same formation that he fielded in Normandy. With just one notable exception, a start for Bassem Srarfi.

The 3-4-3 converted into a 4-3-3, with Tameze at right back, slipping into the midfield when attacking, and dropping back to fill in the space when the ball was lost.

Showing more of themselves than in the first evening of the season against Reims, the Gym got off on the right foot, and were only really troubled on one occasion before the break, after a cross was sent it which Sliti struck against Tameze and the ball flicked off for a corner (13’).

Cardi also stood strong after a header from Sammaritano from a tight angle (45’), but he had hardly been involved before then. His counterpart, Runarsson, was equally untroubled, however, due to a lack of shots on target. Unfortunately, the offensive trio of Srarfi - Saint-Maximin – Myziane lacked the accuracy to make the difference. The former Lyon forward couldn’t find the target after a peach of a cross from Boscagli (37’). Just minutes before, he had done the hard work when he beat the keeper and found Lees-Melon who just opened up his foot too much (33’).

Unfortunately, what followed continued in the same way. They weren’t missing a lot. But that little thing was cruelly missing. Demonstrated by the stretched header from Myziane which caught the outside of the post in the middle of the second half after a smart cross from Srarfi. Then he was just unable to get the equaliser after he was played in beautifully by Danilo, with another shot that was off target (70’). An opportunity to get the score to 1-1 because just a few minutes earlier, Dijon were the complete opposite. One chance, one goal. Aguerd rose highest in the box to make contact with Loiodice’s long and looping ball (0-1, 68’). The issue for the men in red and black was that the Moroccan’s teammates were just as lethal. His partner in defence, Hadadi, first of all, who was found by Keita (0-2, 83’), then the very same Keita on two occasions. Firstly, finishing the rebound after a stop from Cardinale to deny Sliti (0-3, 85’), and then impressively finding a way through several Nice defenders (0-4, 90+1).